Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Today I am folding laundry, cleaning the kitchen and little by little re-organizing my studio so I may finish up on some projects.

I found this and thought, how true it is to me.

Your Blogging Type Is Thoughtful and Considerate

You're a well liked, though underrated, blogger.You have a heart of gold, and are likely to blog for a cause.You're a peaceful blogger - no drama for you!A good listener and friend, you tend to leave thoughtful comments for others.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Last year was my 1st time entering and I did not really understand the categories. After I realized I entered my 2 items in the wrong division I took notes on what won. I also fell in love with the rose medallion stamp which I later found at the L.A. fair. I used it on the scrapbox above. Lots of layers, lots of glitter. I'm very exicted to have placed 1st place!

This bracelet was meant to be. It started out as a mere sample for a shrink plastic class I taught. Looking at it, I realized it needed more. So I added wire wrapped beach treasures and alittle jar. Before the fair, while I was waiting with some other people in the drop off section, I was mentally comparing their amateur items with mine and thinking that theirs were so much better. What a shock and delight to find that I placed 2nd!

I Love my crown. I think it's the best that I've done and can't wait to make more of them soon! It is part of the recycled division. I used vintage music sheets, rinestones,paper napkin flowers, fine glitters and window screen for the leaves.Not only am I happy that it placed 3rd, but I'm also pleased with how they displayed it!

This was soooo thrown together. My original did not pan out and so I did this. I'm utterly shocked that it got 4th.

This was based around the fair"theme". After having just taught a captured faerie class, I was still in the mood, so I created a captured surfer. I really like how she came out.

My journal is beautiful if you've seen previous post. I don't mind that it did not place. I only wish they could have displayed it better.

I thought these baby cows in the maternity barn were so adorable!

Just had to share this photo! Classic!

Yee Haw!

When I lived in san Clemente, I would enter the sand building festivals often. This reminds me of those summer days and amazing creations!

Surf's Up!

I plan on posting more photo's after a MNO with friends on July 31st. I'm looking forward to casually strolling the fair grounds, and eating alot of deep fried yummy's.

Please feel free to post any comments! I'd love to hear from all of you!

I had a really great time shopping at the Long Beach Antique Flea market! It was just me. I got in about 4 hours of looking and buying before the heat was taking a toll on me. I found some amazing finds and just had to share with you! Not pictured are vintage cake toppers that I plan to use for my art and sell on Etsy. Here is a 1950's Esquire which I landed for $10! I like it for the men's fashion and the swimsuit pin up spreads.
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These were a treat at $10 for the both of them! The ModernScreen is dated 1944 with full page on screen movie ads, in color interviews of Gene Kelly, Judy Garland and other black/white photo stories on Shirley temple, June Allyson and lots of great fashion ad's!

The Screen Album featuring Rita Hayward on the front, dates back to 1942 #22.
It has a TON of autographed potraits of my favorite stars! What a find!

You are going to freak when you hear how much I got these two gems for! $2 each! The one on the left is 1944 and the other one is 1951. I chose them for their ad's, recipies and all the fun that goes into them!

Daddy took apart the crib which SOLD on Craigs list!****************************************************************************

On this day, Dyllan is now in the big boy bed, (mommy's old twin)!

I cleaned the room, rearranged and put together the side rail which is hidden in between the mattress.

We still have a few things to add to the room and a few things that will go, but for now, it's all his! We did install a safety gate (thanks Teresa!) in front of his door and their is lock on his window.

Every waking moment I have random thoughts that flit here and there. Some of them are quite good, only, I never write them down. On this morning I did.

8:45am

I really LOVE my Artichoke bush! I picked one a few days ago because I did not want it to fully bloom. I left the other on the bush to eat another day.(see photo)

8:50amThe things they do.

Dyllan woke up with one pant leg up and the other leg down. I asked him to "fix" his leg, so he pulled"up" the other one!

9:00am

I spent all of yesterday working on organizing the garage. Sorting, re-arranging,pitching.I used those bags you suck the air out with your vacuum for my fabric and yarn. What a space saver! It may not look like I did much but I did fill up our trash can. In sorting through my art supplies, I found art mediums that took me back to the days of art classes at my local junior college. Things I found to which I can't wait to use again soon;

1. Art box full of pottery tools

2. Giant art bin full of watercolor and acrylic tubes

3. A nice collection of chalks,pastels,charcoals and blending tools.

4. I even found a bag of beach pit charcoal that I have been known to collect and use when money was tight.

So here I am in the kitchen really jotting down old memories on a notepad while my artichoke is steaming and Dyllan is singing along with the Wonder Pets.

9:30am

I stuffed my steamed Artichoke. I figured that if I have the ingredients, then use them. When I don't then I make a dip out of mayo,lemon juice and cracked pepper. But in my case, I never really follow a recipe. =I just do what feels right. Dried parsley,lots of pressed garlic,melted butter,virgin olive oil,salt, bread crumbs and freshly shaved parm.cheese.

After fully steaming the artichoke, I drain it well and put it in a tin pie pan. I open it up really well, like a flower and stuff the leaves with my mixture, drizzle a little more oil on top and put it in the broiler until the cheese has melted and it is toasty brown on top!

Yum!

It's huge!

10:45am-ish

Fooling around with Dyllan and he head butted my face the way toddlers do with their extra hard noggin,I hurt, I bled. The inside of my lip is cut but at least my tooth is ok. Still hurts, I'll survive.

11:30am

Everyday, every moment, (even during melt downs), Dyllan amazes us.

Today he hung his trains from their magnetic front from a vintage child's chair I've have since I was a little girl. The mere fact that he did this on his own, amazes me.

They look like ornaments hanging there!

I wonder if it helps that I've set the music to a "soundscapes"-a soothing blend as opposed to his usual "chitty-chitty bang bang" blend.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

I am so incredibly in love with everything "Autumn Leaves" has to offer! Their papers.,embelleshments and most of all, their clear stamps! I got the swirls of all places... at Walmart! What a find! I used it to make this card for a recent card swap I did with my group. It reminds me of the doodles I use to do when I was younger. I like it cause it also reminds me how to doodle!

Yesterday while Brian was shooting a Wedding, my Mom came in from Borrego Springs, Ca. to watch Dyllan so I could go to a Card Swap Crop. It was alot of fun! Including myself, there were 10 girls. We also created a card, then make up the materials to make that card and put it in a shoe box. When you completed one card in a box, you got another box until you made all 10 cards. It was supposed to only take us 5 minutes to make each card but some of the girls got a little crazy on the kit details and instead of 1 hours, it took most of us 2 hours!

On July 6th, Brian, Dyllan and I headed over to Dana Point Harbor for a really delicious dinner at El Torito, then a walk around the harbor, watching the fishing boats come in and to end the day with Ice Cream. As you can see, Dyllan thoroughly enjoyed his! Daddy helped him get to the cone part and Dyllan was a happy camper! You'd think he'd be hyper after all that sugar but he conked out as soon as we got home!

We meant to go to the Family Free Movies hosted by Regal Cinema, but after not finding any appropriate movies for Dyllan to see, we stayed home, slept in and then headed over to Grandma Susan and Grandpa Jim's house for lunch and pool fun!The water shots are taken with the camera in a divers housing.

Twilight and sunset.

Later we headed over to our friends Kimbers house for kiddie pool fun, Bar~b~q and fire works. We all hoofed to above the country club golf course and enjoyed an amazing show!

I took all the shots of the fireworks with my Nikon 8700 in firework mode. Pretty good, huh? and I did not have to touch up any photo's!

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Hello!

My name is Michelle Frae Cummings. I am a artist, wife, teacher and a mom. I find inspiration for my art in all aspects of life. The more color, the better! I look forward to sharing my creative adventures with you. - Welcome to my blog!

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